Baggage claims are evidence-heavy and deadline-sensitive. Report the problem at the airport, keep the Property Irregularity Report, then make the written airline claim within the relevant time limit.
Start with the transaction and the disruption that actually occurred. Travel disputes often involve several businesses, but their responsibilities are not interchangeable.
Key points
- The airline is generally responsible for hold baggage that is lost, delayed or damaged, subject to the applicable international rules and limits.
- Report baggage problems at the airport and keep the PIR/reference number.
- CAA guidance says written damaged/lost-item claims should be made within seven days and delayed-bag claims within 21 days of receiving the bag.
- Travel insurance can sometimes be more valuable than the airline claim, but excesses and policy conditions matter.
Diagnosis
First: what exactly happened?
Identify the problem before choosing the remedy or escalation route.
| What happened? | What to check first |
|---|---|
| Your bag did not arrive | Report it before leaving the airport and get a PIR/tracing reference. |
| Your bag arrives days later | Keep receipts for bare essentials bought while away from home. |
| The suitcase or contents are damaged | Photograph immediately and make the written claim promptly. |
| Items are missing from the bag | List the items, value and evidence; theft/missing contents can be treated differently by policy/airline. |
| The airline offers a low depreciated amount | Baggage claims are not generally "new for old"; challenge the valuation with evidence of age, condition and replacement value where relevant. |
Report the problem before leaving the airport
Go to the airline or baggage-handling desk and obtain a Property Irregularity Report or equivalent tracing record.
A PIR is not itself an accepted compensation claim, but it is powerful contemporaneous evidence that the problem was reported immediately.
Lost versus delayed baggage
A bag can be treated as delayed while tracing continues and later become a lost-baggage claim. Keep the tracing history and dates.
If it arrives, record the delivery date because the written delayed-bag claim period is measured from receipt of the bag under CAA guidance.
Essential purchases during delay
Airlines commonly reimburse reasonable bare essentials when baggage is delayed away from home: toiletries, basic clothing and laundry can be examples.
Buy what you reasonably need for the period and keep receipts. Expensive replacement wardrobes are harder to justify unless circumstances make them necessary.
Damaged baggage
Photograph the case and damage before repair or disposal. The airline may offer repair, replacement or a monetary settlement.
CAA guidance says the written claim should be made within seven days. Do not assume the airport PIR alone completes the claim.
Proof of value and depreciation
Receipts, bank/card records, photographs and model information can support the contents/value claim. Airlines do not usually settle on a new-for-old basis and may account for age/use.
If the airline applies a blanket percentage without engaging with the actual item, ask how the valuation was calculated.
Multiple airlines on one journey
CAA guidance says a claim can potentially be made against any of the airlines involved, though the final carrier will often handle it in practice.
Keep all baggage tags and ticket/booking references so responsibility can be traced across the itinerary.
Consequential loss
Losses flowing beyond the bag itself can be harder. The airline may not voluntarily reimburse every downstream loss, such as a missed cruise or event, and legal liability can become more complex.
Travel insurance may provide a more direct route for some consequential losses.
Travel insurance overlap
Compare the airline limit/valuation with the policy baggage section, excess, single-item limits and valuables rules.
Do not claim twice for the same loss. If the insurer pays first, it may seek recovery rights against the airline.
Who is responsible?
The airline is generally the main respondent for checked baggage lost, delayed or damaged during carriage. With multi-airline journeys, the claim can become operationally confusing, but the final carrier is often a sensible starting point and CAA guidance notes claims can be made against airlines involved. Travel insurance is a separate contract and can provide a different valuation/limit.
What can you realistically ask for?
For delay, seek reasonable essentials actually required. For loss, claim the proven value of the bag/contents subject to applicable liability limits and depreciation. For damage, repair, replacement or monetary settlement can be appropriate. Consequential losses are more difficult and should be separated rather than inflating the baggage value itself.
What to say when the airline undervalues the claim
Ask for its item-by-item valuation and depreciation method. Provide purchase evidence where available, but also photographs, card statements, model numbers or other evidence of ownership and condition. If an airline rejects an item merely because the original receipt is unavailable, ask it to explain why the other evidence does not establish ownership/value.
Escalation
Complete the written airline claim within the baggage deadline. Then use the airline complaint and aviation ADR route where available. Compare the result with the travel-insurance baggage section, especially single-item limits and excess. A court claim for consequential loss is a more serious step and should not be confused with the routine baggage settlement process.
Important exceptions and edge cases
Cabin baggage, mobility equipment and specialist items can use different rules or practical processes from ordinary checked baggage. High-value electronics, jewellery and medication may be subject to airline exclusions/limits and travel-insurance valuables limits. If a wheelchair or mobility aid is damaged, assisted-travel/passenger-rights rules can become relevant alongside baggage liability. For theft from a bag, the airline may ask for a police report or other evidence depending on where the loss occurred.
Evidence worth keeping
Travel disputes are usually won or lost on the booking chain, timings and contemporaneous evidence. Preserve the original record rather than relying on screenshots taken weeks later where possible.
Common responses - and what they do not necessarily prove
| The business says | ConsumerWise view |
|---|---|
| "You completed a PIR, so there is nothing else to do." | A PIR records the airport report; CAA guidance still requires a written claim within the relevant deadline. |
| "We only pay a fixed daily allowance." | Check the airline policy and applicable liability rules; keep evidence of actual reasonable loss. |
| "No original receipt means no claim." | Original receipts are strong evidence but other proof of ownership/value may still be relevant. |
| "Claim only on your insurance." | Travel insurance can be useful, but the airline has its own baggage liability; the consumer can assess which route is better. |
What to do
A practical next-step plan
- Report the issue at the airport and obtain the PIR/reference.
- Photograph damage and retain baggage tags.
- Make the airline written claim within the relevant deadline.
- Quantify lost/damaged items and reasonable essentials with evidence.
- Compare the airline route with travel-insurance cover and avoid double recovery.
Official sources
Check the current source material.
Travel rights can depend on route, airline, booking structure, country, provider membership and the date of the event. Check the live official source before relying on a formal deadline, compensation amount or scheme rule.